ISLAMABAD/ RAWALPINDI: A large number of mourners attended the main procession of Chehlum of Hazrat Imam Hussain (AS), held on Monday in the federal capital amid extraordinary security due to a surge in terror activities in recent times.
Meanwhile, the Chehlum will be observed in the garrison city on Tuesday (today), with all arrangements finalised, while the district administration has announced a public holiday within the municipal limits from Faizabad to Marrir Chowk.
The Metro Bus service will also remain partially suspended between Saddar and Faizabad. All educational institutions, shops and banks along Murree Road and Raja Bazaar will remain closed.
Deputy Commissioner Nadeem Nasir issued a notification for the public holiday, stating that Tuesday would be a holiday for all public and private educational institutions within the municipal limits of Tehsil Rawalpindi. However, the holiday would not be applicable to Cantonment areas.
Pindi administration announces public holiday as mourning procession routes sealed
The leaders of Tehreek Nifaz Fiqh-i-Jaferia (TNFJ) and Shia Ulema Council (SUC) have on the othjer hand demanded the Islamabad administration gradually reduce security arrangements and allow the locals to participate in the procession openly.
Allama Arif Wahidi, leader of SUC said that the recent aggression by US and Israel against Iran has proven one thing that the people and the leadership of the country will not fall into any conspiracy of the West and would remain united.
“We as a nation are able to beat the aggression of the enemy, may it be the external foes or local terrorists,” he added.
He added that the recent phenomenon of registering cases against the organisers of mourning processions was totally unethical mainly by Punjab government and it would only encourage the extremists. The main procession of Chehlum Imam Hussain (AS) was taken out from Imam Bargah Asna Ashri G-6/2 and culminated at the same place after passing through Service Road G-6, Lal Quarter, G-6/1-2 and Melody.
The residents of G-6 too demanded ending of restrictions on the procession route as they too wanted to participate in the procession to distribute ‘niaz’ and set up sabeels for the participants.
The Rawalpindi district administration and local police have finalised security arrangements for the participants of the procession.
Control rooms have been activated at Rawalpindi Municipal Corporation offices, while monitoring is being carried out through CCTV cameras of the Safe City Project.
The main procession in Rawalpindi will begin from Imambargah Ashiq Hussain, Imambargah Hifazat Ali Shah and Imambargah Colonel Maqbool Hussain.
The Zuljanah processions emerging from Imambargah Shohada-e-Karbala, Tyre Bazaar and the shrine of Sakhi Shah Chan Chiragh will also join the central procession.
Tehreek-i-Nifaz-i-Fiqh-i-Jafaria (TNFJ) Pakistan chief Allama Agha Syed Hussain Muqaddasi will visit the sacred relics during the central procession.
Zanjeer Zani will be performed at Habib Bank Chowk during the procession. Mukhtar Students Organisation and Mukhtar Organisation (MO) will establish mourning camps at Fawara Chowk on Jamia Masjid Road.
Personnel of Ibrahim Scouts, Mukhtar Force and members of the TNFJ Arbaeen Committee will accompany the procession and perform volunteer security duties.
According to Dr Syed Aoun Kazmi, convener of the TNFJ Arbaeen Hussaini Committee, the procession will follow its designated route through Tyre Bazaar Chowk, Jamia Masjid Road and Pul Shah Nazar Diwan before concluding at the historic Qadeem Imambargah at night.
Published in Dawn, August 4th, 2026
